Apparatus for removing excess of material projecting from the true periphery of a bowling ball without modifying such true periphery

ABSTRACT

An improved method of and improved apparatus for removing all undesirable material projecting outwardly beyond the true round periphery of a bowling ball. There are many bowlers who desire to have the finger openings changed after they have made use of a ball for a period of time. This change in the position, size and/or relationship of finger openings is generally accomplished by plugging up one or more of the openings in the ball and then relocating or reboring openings to meet the bowler&#39;&#39;s desire. In carrying out this process it is frequently done by filling up the original finger opening with a plug driven thereinto or by filling the same with material allowed to harden therein. In order to be sure of filling the opening completely for the modification or relocation thereof, it is common practice to overfill the same so that an excess of material will normally project outwardly beyond the true round periphery of the ball and then to remove the excess of said material to be sure the true round periphery is maintained. This disclosure relates to a most desirable method of removing such excess quickly, accurately and without disturbing the true periphery of the ball.

United States Patent Jerome 51 July 11, 1972 [5 1 APPARATUS FOR REMOVING EXCESS Primary Examiner-Gil Weidenfeld OF MATERIAL PROJECTING FROM q and Parker THE TRUE PERIPHERY OF A [57] ABSTRACT BOWLING BALL WITHOUT MODIFYING SUCH TRUE PERIPHERY An improved method of and improved apparatus for removing all undesirable material projecting outwardly beyond the true [72] inventor: Chester W. Jerome, 19997 Orlean round periphery of a bowling ball. There are many bowlers Detroit, Mich. 48203 who desire to have the finger openings changed after they have made use of a ball for a period of time. This change in the [221 position, size and/or relationship of finger openings is 21 APPL 33 77 generally accomplished by plugging up one or more of the openings in the ball and then relocating or reboring openings to meet the bowlers desire. ln carrying out this process it is [52] US. Cl. v.90/ ll R, 90/l l C, 90/ l 8 frequently done by filling up the original finger opening with a [5| Int. Cl..,. ..B23c 3/04 plug driven thereinto or by filling the same with material al- [58] Field of Search 90/1 1 R, l l C, l8, l2; lowed to harden therein. In order to be sure offilling the open- 51/103 R, I 17, 289 5 ing completely for the modification or relocation thereof, it is common practice to overfill the same so that an excess of [56] Reta- Ci material will normally project outwardly beyond the true round periphery of the ball and then to remove the excess of UNITED STATES PATENTS said material to be sure the true round periphery is maintained. This disclosure relates to a most desirable method of $21 11 at removing such excess quickly, accurately and without disturb- 3,024.s7s 3/1962 Mushkin .5 1/289 5 x mg the We periphery 0mm 2 Claims, 5 Drawing figures PATENTEIJJUL 11 m2 3. 675.535

INVENTOR CHE/"1? W. JffO/M' ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR REMOVING EXCESS OF MATERIAL PROJECTING FROM THE TRUE PERIPHERY OF A BOWLING BALL WITHOUT MODIFYING SUCH TRUE PERIPHERY DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The prior art as understood by this inventor is primarily that shown in his own earlier filed application, Ser. No. 63,058, filed Aug. 12, 1970. To the extent of applicant's knowledge, such prior art has heretofore generally involved the manual removal or cutting away of such excess of material with which the original finger openings have been filled, such has commonly been done by a workman using manual tools such as a knife, chisel or outer cutting tool whereby the undesirable excess of material is cut away. This has been difficult to accomplish while preserving the true rotundity of the ball because it is obvious that an error may result in a flatted portion of the balls surface or a depression or even slight projecfion therefrom which would interfere with the roundness and later use of the ball.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The modification of the character of position or relative relationship or size or shape of the finger openings in a bowling ball to meet the bowlers particular desire is a proceeding that is not uncommon at the present time due to the fact that bowling has become such a common pastime and many bowlers are particularly desirous of having a grip upon the ball which in their opinion gives them better control thereover. In carrying out this modification of the finger openings it is common practice to first refill the original openings and then to relocate the new openings. Following refilling of the old openings which it is desired to change and/or relocate, it is common practice to so fill these old openings to the extent that the filling material will project outwardly beyond the true periphery of the ball in order to be sure that the old openings have been completely filled.

To the extent to which the filling material projects beyond the true periphery of the ball, following the filling of the old openings, it becomes necessary to remove the filling material and to do it in such a manner that the true rotundity of the ball will not be damaged, and it will be so preserved as to provide a ball which is accurately true and round.

Applicants improved process and apparatus, for it will be apparent that both are involved in this invention, is intended to accomplish the same object set forth in applicants prior application above identified, but it is a purpose of this invention that the apparatus with which the removal of the undesirable material is accomplished is much simpler and cheaper than that shown in applicant's prior application and that the method functions to carry out its intended function in a more accurate manner. Not only can the work be carried out in a simpler and more accurate manner, but also more quickly and easily. In both of the applications of this applicant, this one and the earlier one. there is provided a substantially circular ball seat of such a diameter that bowling balls which difi'er slightly in diameter from each other may be accurately supported upon said ball seat. The balls will not pass therethrough but will maintain their position upon the seat and are likewise capable of being rotated upon the seat in any desired direction of rotation to accomplish the result sought.

The seat support constitutes a circular opening through a support, which opening is of such a size that when a ball is seated thereupon it will not pass therethrough. The ball has a larger diameter than that of the seat opening, and the ball may be rotatably actuated in any desired direction of rotation within and upon the seat opening. The major portion of the ball is so supported that it will project above the seat opening and the excess of material desirable to be removed will be exposed to be acted upon by a cutting tool to remove the same. The ball is so supported upon the seat that the workman may rotate the ball mounted upon the seat support in any direction he desires to actuate the ball relative to the cutting tool to remove said excess of material. The mounting of the ball upon the seat support will hold it within a certain position of rotation so that the cutting tool will not act upon or change the true round periphery portion of the ball. The cutter will act only upon the ball to remove the excess of material that projects beyond its true periphery.

In this particular application the cutting tool is disposed to extend through an aperture in the seat support for the ball and through the line of said seat support. This is a point of the utmost importance. Furthermore, it is desirable that the cutting tool approach that portion of the ball which has an undesirable excess of material projecting therebeyond along a line wherein the tool is disposed to project toward the true center of the ball.

The construction shown herein is one that adapts itself to be used with a plurality of slightly different size bowling balls and to act upon each accurately and without preadjustment of the cutter and ball to fit individual balls. ln other words, the construction is such that within limits the relative position of the cutting tool and the ball when seated upon its seat support, the ball can be rotatably manipulated so that regardless of whether the ball is a little smaller or a little larger, the result obtained will be found to be accurate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE. DRAWINGS In this application FIG. I is a side elevation partly in section of apparatus designed to carry out the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing part of the same structure shown in FIG. I, but broken away and showing the outer portion of the ball carrying seat pivotally raised slightly as compared with the view in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view showing a fragmentary section of the cutting device and a fragment of the ball seat and showing in solid line one position of the cutter and in dotted outline a slightly different position of the cutter and showing in a dotted line alon ide the periphery of the ball how a ball the size of a bowling ball approaches a flat plane for certain small surface area;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary illustration that shows the approach of the working end of the cutter extending through the aperture in the ball seat and projecting toward the center of the ball to be acted upon; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the cutter acting upon an excess of filling material with which one finger opening has been filled.

FIG. 1 of the drawing shows a base 10 which is shown as seated upon the top of a support as for example a workbench 12. The base carries an electric motor 14 carried by its own motor support 16. This motor is adapted to drive a tool l8 such as a cutting or a milling tool, as shown in FIG. 5, having a cutting portion formed at its outer end and identified as 20. There is an element 22 which forms a support for the rotatable cutting device 18.

There is then, a support or frame 24 which is pivoted at 26 to a part of element 22 so that this frame or support for a bowling ball may be pivotally raised or lowered with respect to the cutting tool. The frame is shown as having a seat 28 fitted therein and this frame has an inner circular opening (not shown) into which the seat that directly supports the ball is fitted. The ball itself is identified by the numeral 30. While the frame 24 is shown as having a bottom plate 32 and a side wall portion heretofore identified as 24, it is apparent that one could eliminate the bottom plate 32 of the frame so that there might be access to the underside of the ball directly therebeneath or that an end portion of the side wall 24 might be eliminated and an operator could extend his hand therethrough to grasp the underside of the ball and rotate the same. The operator, of course, can grasp the upper and larger portion of the ball so as to actuate the ball rotatably as desired when he so desires to do, and if he is careful there is very little danger of his hand coming in contact with the cutting element itself.

There is provided an aperture 34 which is not too clearly illustrated but can be seen in both FIGS. 1 and 2. It is indicated as 34 in both FIGS. I and 2 through which the cutter extends and though it is not too clearly shown in either FIGS. I or 2, it will be understood that this aperture 34 extends not only through the side wall 24 of the frame support, but through the seat member 28 of the device which actually forms a seat for the ball. The aperture is sufiiciently large to permit easy extension of a cutter such as 20, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or of a cutting element which might be of even greater diameter if such were so desired. The aperture is perhaps best shown in FIG. 4, where the cutting end of the cutter is illustrated as received within the aperture 34 and the underside of such aperture is clearly shown at 36 in FIGS. 1 and 2. The end of this cutting element normally passes through, as shown in the several FIGS. of the drawings, the ball supporting seat of the ball carrying frame 28 so that the outer end of the cutter itself would normally project to an extension of the arcuate line of the ball seat were it not unbroken by the aperture. In other words, the end of the cutter really forms a part of the line of seat support for the ball.

In FIG. 2 the seating frame that supports the ball is shown as tilted slightly upwardly by the insertion of an elevating block 38 thereunder to tilt it slightly with respect to the cutting device. As was hereinabove stated, with this particular apparatus it is possible to work upon bowling balls which vary slightly in diameter. The average bowling ball in use in the United States is approximately 8 inches in diameter and it might vary in diameter up to one-sixteenth of an inch yet the structure shown would function accurately and efficiently on a bowling ball of any size within limited variation. This is apparent from the view in FIG. 4.

FIGS. 3 and 4 each show the cutter as extending through such aperture so that the cutting end thereof will cut away a projection of undesirable material that would be projecting beyond the true periphery of the ball, which true periphery would be indicated by the solid line 40 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The ball, however, being seated within a seat designed to perfectly hold the ball against wobble or undue displacement, will prevent the true periphery of the ball from coming into engagement with the end of the cutter and being cut away thereby.

It is understood that in the employment of this mechanism to cut away an excess of material such as 42, as shown in FIG. 5. that the ball is being manipulated rotatably by the operator upon its seat, so as to be at all times seated upon the seat and yet at all times it is rotatable in any desired direction. Due to this construction and method of operation the operator can rotatably actuate the ball to cause the excess of undesirable material to pass back and forth across the end of the cutter and to be acted upon by the cutter and thereby removed. However, the retaining of the ball on its seat so that it is always held to rotate properly, will inhibit any action of the cutter directly upon the true periphery of the ball and thereby disadvantageously modify the same. It is apparent that the ball will be rotatably actuated by the operator while retaining its seated position upon the ball seat and in such a manner that the portion which it is desired to remove may be passed back and forth or in the most desirable direction of rotation to be acted upon by the cutter and thereby removed.

As heretofore referred to, the illustration in FIG. 4 shows that throughout a relatively small area or distance the portion of the ball opposed to the cutter would appear to be almost a flatted area. It is, of course, not Ilat, but the diameter of a ball is such that throughout a small area that part which is opposed to the end of the cutter appears to be flat and for that reason the excess of material of the ball to be cut away, will readily be engaged by the cutter and so removed, but the end of the cutter will not contact or act upon the true periphery of the ball as it is rotated with respect to the cutter. It will also be seen particularly from FIG. 2, and even FIG. I, that the cutter is directed on a line of approach that would normally be toward the center of the ball.

position of the cutter is desirable but the feature that is believed to be of most importance and most highly desirable is that the cutter itself passes through the aperture in the ball seat so that at all times the cutter approaches the ball directly through the line upon which the ball is seated and the cutter is rotated and not at an angle with respect to the radius of the ball but along a line which is substantially that of a radius of the ball. The cutter as shown in FIG. 2 normally approaches the ball on a radius line and that is approximately true in the various positions of the ball during its manipulation in carrying out the cutting operation. This is probably more clearly shown in FIG. 5 than in any other FIG. because in such FIG. 5 the excess of material projecting beyond the periphery of the ball from one of the finger openings is indicated as 42 and the milling cutter shown as acting thereupon in this FIG. of the drawing. It will be understood that the ball is at this time being cooperatively rotated by the manual operator to produce this action of cutting off the portion of the excess of material that projects beyond the true ball periphery.

I claim:

I. An apparatus for supporting a bowling ball and removing an undesirable excess of material projecting outwardly therefrom beyond the true periphery of the ball without otherwise changing such periphery, comprising: a bowling ball support having an opening therethrough constituting a circular seat for a bowling ball seated therewithin; a cutting device supported for rotation adjacent said ball seat and means for supporting the same; said ball seat having an aperture therethrough; said cutting device having a portion thereof projecting into said aperture from the outside of the ball seat and terminating at said bail seat where the ball engages the ball seat so mat the cutting portion of the cutting device may act upon the excess of material projecting outwardly beyond the true periphery of flie ball to cut the same away from the ball outwardly beyond its true perihpery without cutting into that portion of the ball inwardly of its true periphery; said ball seat retaining opening being of a size to support the bowling ball at a pheripheral diameter less than the maximum diameter of the ball to be seated therein to prevent passing of the ball through the opening; and said ball support permitting rotatable actuation of the ball seated therein in any desired direction.

2. The invention defined in claim numbered 1 characterized in that the ball seat is pivotally supported adjacent to the cutting device to pemiit pivotal raising and lowering of said ball support with respect to the cutting device and said cutting device is disposed to project into said aperture along a line projecting toward the center of the ball mounted on said ball support.

i l i I lninAA n11: 

1. An apparatus for supporting a bowling ball and removing an undesirable excess of material projecting outwardly therefrom beyond the true periphery of the ball without otherwise changing such periphery, comprising: a bowling ball support having an opening therethrough constituting a circular seat for a bowling ball seated therewithin; a cutting device supported for rotation adjacent said ball seat and means for supporting the same; said ball seat having an aperture therethrough; said cutting device having a portion thereof projecting into said aperture from the outside of the ball seat and terminating at said baLl seat where the ball engages the ball seat so that the cutting portion of the cutting device may act upon the excess of material projecting outwardly beyond the true periphery of the ball to cut the same away from the ball outwardly beyond its true perihpery without cutting into that portion of the ball inwardly of its true periphery; said ball seat retaining opening being of a size to support the bowling ball at a pheripheral diameter less than the maximum diameter of the ball to be seated therein to prevent passing of the ball through the opening; and said ball support permitting rotatable actuation of the ball seated therein in any desired direction.
 2. The invention defined in claim numbered 1 characterized in that the ball seat is pivotally supported adjacent to the cutting device to permit pivotal raising and lowering of said ball support with respect to the cutting device and said cutting device is disposed to project into said aperture along a line projecting toward the center of the ball mounted on said ball support. 